When Neal Schon stops touring with Journey, that's when the band will cease to exist IMO. It would, of course, be great to have a Journey tour with Steve Perry singing, but thankfully, I got to see that happen the only time I saw Journey in person, 1986 in Long Beach, Calif. Opening act? Glass Tiger. Bass player for Journey's tour and on the Raised on Radio record: Randy Jackson of American Idol fame.

When Neal Schon stops touring with Journey, that's when the band will cease to exist IMO. It would, of course, be great to have a Journey tour with Steve Perry singing, but thankfully, I got to see that happen the only time I saw Journey in person, 1986 in Long Beach, Calif. Opening act? Glass Tiger. Bass player for Journey's tour and on the Raised on Radio record: Randy Jackson of American Idol fame.

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Yep, it may not be quite the same, but Steve Perry has proven to be somewhat replaceable. Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain aren't. If they ever left, then no, it wouldn't be Journey anymore.

If Cain wasn't there, it wouldn't matter to me. Ross Valory is another longtime member of the band. He's on this current tour and the only reason I know Journey is on tour is because Journey, Heart and Cheap Trick will play together here in a few weeks -- and it won't be at the fairgrounds!

OK fine. Even though none of you REALLY care what I think and just want to play your daily game of "Let's Laugh At The Guy With The Mullet And The Walkman Wearing The INXS Guns In The Sky T-shirt." Assholes.

1.) This is SIXTH-GENERATION Journey. I was wrong when I called it FOURTH-GENERATION. That was a decade ago. Their lead singers, in order: Gregg Rolie, Robert Fleischman, Steve Perry, Steve "I used to work at The Gap" Augeri, Jeff Scott Soto (who sang with them for like two months last year) and new guy, whom they found on YouTube. I guess it's ironic I'm mad over Journey replacing Steve Perry when he wasn't even their original lead singer. Yeah well fuck you, when it comes to Journey I make my own rules. So people are buying this even though it's no more authentic than a Journey cover band.

2.) Journey's new album is sold only at Wal-Mart. So I picture Cletus and his slack-jawed contingent strolling thru the store right before they hit the demolition derby--picking up scooter pies and Sam's Club orange soda and Yosemite Sam mud flaps and a bumper sticker that reads I DON'T DIAL 9-1-1, I DIAL .357--and making an impulse buy upon seeing the Journey display. "Hey Ma! Them guys who sung the theme to the prom whens you birthed Brandine in the back seat have a new album out! Can we get it pretty girl honey?"

3.) The album only costs $11.99, but it's THREE DISCS! The recording industry is so far beyond saving that the only way it can lure people into buying new stuff is to give you THREE discs for the price of one. Hey assholes. IF YOU CAME TO THAT CONCLUSION 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOW!

4.) One of the discs is a DVD from the new guy's first show with the band. And another disc is Journey classics sung by the new guy. WHAT THE FUCK?! Who the fuck wants to hear that? It's one thing to sing the songs live, but what's he done to earn the right to RECORD the songs someone else made famous? It's like a kick in the nuts to fans who want to see the real band reunite. "No, it's not going to happen, and here's the new guy we found on YouTube singing the songs you want to hear Steve sing. Suckers!"

5.) Even at the "bargain" price of three discs for $11.99, "Revelation" only moved 80,000 or so copies in the first week. Back in the day, when the recording industry had a pulse, that probably wouldn't even get a band in the top 20. But now it's good enough for the top five, and you've got to give people three for the price of one to move that much in a week. Special my ass.